Hawaiʻi Wind, Storm Updates: Schools to close + more

Read this developing story from Civil Beat

High winds whipped the islands as a storm came through on Sunday, with more expected overnight and into Monday.

In a press conference late Sunday morning, Gov. Josh Green said he is closing the state in an abundance of caution and state officials joined him to ask people to stay home if they can, even if it meant missing a Super Bowl party. Only essential services will be operating on Monday.

The governor said that at least 9,000 households were without power.

Hawaiian Electric and Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative took steps before the storm hit to clear debris that threatened to down power lines. As of Sunday, many of the outages were on Oʻahu, according to Hawaiian Electric’s outage maps.

Green had issued an emergency proclamation on Friday, as did Mayor Richard Bissen on Maui.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi followed suit on Sunday afternoon, and ordered all non-essential county offices and services to close through at least Monday. Mayor Kimo Alameda on the Big Island did the same on Sunday, and emergency shelters have opened across the island.

Hawaiʻi Island had been hit especially hard by midday Sunday, with some rivers quadrupling in height in Kamuela and Hamakua to reach four to six feet, according to NOAA maps.